Snacks and Drinks Simple solutions to help you and your family eat healthy

EAT
EA
SMART
SMAR
NORTH CAROLINA:
Snacks and Drinks
Simple solutions to help you and
your family eat healthy

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Eat Smart North Carolina:
Snacks and Drinks Have you ever found yourself at
a snack bar or vending machine
in search of a quick bite during
the day? Or have you packed snacks and drinks for
yourself or your child’s soccer game and wondered what
are smart choices? If so, this guide is for you.
What are snacks?
Snacks are foods and drinks
we eat in between meals to
Why think about snacks and drinks?
satisfy hunger or boredom.
It is now more common in America to be overweight than to
For some people, a snack
be at a healthy weight. While weight gain can be a result of
may be a quick meal replacer.
many factors, the basic reason is calorie imbalance. Weight gain
We may also snack mindlessly
occurs when we eat and drink more calories than we need.
while watching TV or doing
Americans’ calorie intake has increased during the past several
some other activity.
years and continues to rise. Most of these extra calories usually
come from food purchased away from home, sweet and salty
snacks, soft drinks1 and large portion sizes.2
Calories from snacks and drinks often push our daily calorie
intake above what we need to achieve a healthy weight.3
To snack or not to snack?
Snacks are important for small children and perhaps a few
adults with very high calorie needs, who don’t eat enough
food at meals to grow, heal or perform. But for most of us,
snacks are often a source of extra calories—usually from
foods that we eat too much of already.
Before you pick up a snack, ask yourself if you are
really hungry. If you aren’t, skip it. When you do need
to eat a snack, make a smart choice. Smart snack choices
can help us to eat foods that we usually don’t get
enough of—mostly fruits and vegetables or low-fat dairy
and whole grains. Smart snacks can also help us bridge the
time between meals so that we don’t come to lunch or
dinner overly hungry and unable to make healthy choices.
2
For ideas and tips on how to Eat Smart and Move More in the real world, visit www.MyEatSmartMoveMore.com

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What are healthy snacks?
Fruits and vegetables are excellent snacks for almost
anyone. They are a nutritious substitute for high-calorie
snack foods such as chips and cookies. Fruits and
vegetables are good choices not only because they are
low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins and minerals,
but also because they can decrease the risk for certain
cancers and heart disease.4, 5 Additionally, fruits and
vegetables come in a variety of forms—fresh, frozen,
canned and dried.
Dairy foods and whole grains can also be healthy
snacks. Look for those that are low-fat and low-sugar.
Choose fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy,
whole-grain foods or nuts in small portions for snacks.
The food pictures here show a 100-calorie portion
for some healthy vs. traditional snack options.
Right-size your snacks
CARROTS VS. REGULAR CHIPS
Portion control is key in ensuring that snacks don’t
provide too many calories. Eat snacks in small portions.
Snacks are meant to hold us until our next meal and
should not replace a meal. Pick up a small-size snack,
share a large snack with a friend, or save some for later.
The size of the package matters. Usually, we eat more
GRAPES VS. HONEY BUN
from larger packages or bowls, without realizing it.6
Try these simple tips to control portions:
• Divide the contents of one large package into
several small bags or containers.
• Try single serving packs.
• Avoid eating straight from the package. Instead
APPLE VS. CANDY BAR
put a small portion into a bowl or other container.
Ultimately, the most important thing for a smart
snack is calories. Think about how much you eat when
you usually eat snacks.
MELON VS. MUFFIN
Plan ahead and divide up the contents
of a large package into small bags or
containers before you start eating.
CELERY VS. PRETZELS
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Control mindless munching
It is easy to overeat and still not feel satisfied if we eat snacks when
we are doing something else such as driving, reading, watching TV
or working on the computer. We tend to eat
more when we have easy access to food and
are distracted. It is better to slow down and
Try these simple “out of sight, out of mind” tips:
really enjoy what you are eating—you’ll eat
• Get rid of the candy dish or replace it with a
less and enjoy it more. Be aware of cues to
fruit bowl.
eat. Only eat snacks when you are truly
• Move healthier options to eye level.
hungry. Large portions, food smells and
colors can overcome our body’s ability to
• Don’t buy tempting snacks such as cookies,
chips or ice cream. If you do buy these, place
tell us when we are full or just not hungry.
them out of sight, such as on a high shelf or at
If you need to snack while doing something
the back of the freezer.
else, portion your snack into a separate small
• Store bulk purchases out of sight.
bowl or container.
Smart on-the-go snacks include fresh fruits and vegetables,
raisins or other dried fruit, whole-grain cereal and crackers, nuts
in small portions, low-fat granola bars, baked chips and rice cakes.
Plan your snacks
Planning ahead can help you make smart snack choices. Try these
simple tips to help you plan and prepare snacks:
• Carry a snack bag with you when you leave home for the day.
It is a good way to eat healthy and save money.
• Include seasonal fruits and vegetables on your shopping list.
They will be less expensive and taste great.
• Find healthier options for the kinds of
snacks that you usually crave—sweet,
sour, salty, savory, crunchy, chewy, etc.
For example, if you are looking for
something sweet, eat an
orange or an apple. For
something salty, grab a small
portion of nuts or low-fat popcorn.
• Organize a healthy snack shelf or drawer at home.
• Keep healthy snacks in small portions at work or in the car.
Calories in all foods and drinks (no matter what, when
or how much) count towards your total for the day.
4
For ideas and tips on how to Eat Smart and Move More in the real world, visit www.MyEatSmartMoveMore.com

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Re-think your drink
For many of us, the availability of high-calorie sodas
of reducing calories from other foods after drinking
and fruit drinks makes it easy for us to grab a drink
high-calorie drinks.7 Since our bodies don’t register
on the go—without thinking about how many
the calories from drinks, it is important that we
calories we’re drinking.
choose our drinks very carefully. Choose water and
Studies show that we usually don’t do a good job
diet drinks instead of regular sodas and fruit drinks.
110
400
280
230
200
150
Try these simple tips
calories: calories:
calories:
calories: calories: calories:
to re-think your drink:
orange juice mocha
regular cola fruit drink sweet tea
beer
(8 oz.)
(medium)
(20 oz.)
(16 oz.)
(16 oz.)
(12 oz.)
• Carry a water bottle with
you throughout the day.
• Stock your refrigerator
with a jug or bottles of
water.
• Drink carbonated water.
• Add slices of lemon, lime,
cucumber or watermelon
to water.
• Choose calorie-free diet
drinks.
• Add a splash of 100% fruit
A Day
juice to plain sparkling
of Beverages
water to make a low-
calorie drink.
1370 Calories
• Try hot or cold tea or herb
tea (without added sugar
or sweetened with calorie-
110
160
0
0
0
100
free sweeteners).
calories:
calories:
calories: calories: calories: calories:
• Make your coffee with
orange juice non-fat latte diet cola
water
unsweet light beer
calorie-free sweetener and
(8 oz.)
(medium)
(20 oz.)
iced tea
(12 oz.)
low-fat milk, or have black
(16 oz.)
coffee.
Choose lower-calorie
drinks to save you
lots of calories
during the day.
A Day
of Beverages
370 Calories
Drinking non-diet soft drinks is clearly associated with increased body weight.8
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Eat Smart Snacks
Snack
Serving Size for 1 Unit
Comments
(1 Unit = 100 calories)
FRUITS
Apple
1 large
Choose fruits from different color groups—
red, blue/purple, orange/yellow, green and
Banana
1 medium
white to add taste and variety. Fruits are
Blueberries
1 cup
a good source of
Cantaloupe
1 1/2 cups cubes
several vitamins,
Cherries
20 pieces
minerals and fiber.
Grapefruit
1 large
Grapes
30 small
Oranges
1 medium
Peaches
2 medium
Pear
1 medium
Strawberries
2 cups
Watermelon
2 cups
Fruit, canned in fruit juice
1 cup
Raisins
3 Tbsps
Dried fruit, no added sugar
1/4 cup
VEGETABLES
Baby carrots
Vegetables are very low-calorie.
Broccoli florets
You can usually enjoy a large
portion without exceeding
Choose vegetables as a snack
Celery sticks
100-calories
(sometimes with a low-fat or fat-free dip).
Cherry tomatoes
Vegetables are a good source
of vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Cucumber slices
Pepper slices
DAIRY
Fat-free yogurt, fruit flavored
6 oz.
(sugar-free)
Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy
Cottage cheese, low-fat (2%)
1/2 cup
options for a protein rich snack.
These choices are excellent
Cottage cheese, fat-free
1 cup
sources of calcium.
String cheese, reduced-fat
1 stick
NUTS AND SEEDS
Almonds, roasted
13 pieces
Mixed nuts, roasted
1 Tbsp
A small handful of nuts can satisfy your
Peanuts, roasted
1 Tbsp
craving for something salty and be a source
of several nutrients at the same time.
Sunflower seeds, roasted
1 Tbsp
Walnuts
8 halves
OTHERS
Cheerios, plain
1 cup
Frosted Mini Wheats Bite-Size
12 biscuits
Peanut butter
1 Tbsp
Popcorn, no butter
3 cups
Air-popped or 94% fat-free microwave
Potato chips, baked
20 chips
Rice Chex
1 cup
Tortilla chips, baked
20 chips
Whole-wheat crackers
Granola bars
Depends on brand
Read the food label to find
a 100-calorie portion.
Trail mix
6
For ideas and tips on how to Eat Smart and Move More in the real world, visit www.MyEatSmartMoveMore.com

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LOOK FOR THE FOLLOWING...
CEREAL
BAR
• 200 or fewer calories
• 200 or fewer calories
per serving
per bar
• 6 or fewer grams of
• 5 or fewer grams of
sugar per serving
sugar per 100 calories
• At least 3 grams dietary
• At least 3 grams dietary fiber per bar
fiber per serving
Smart Snacking at the Vending Machine or Convenience Store
There are times when we are
• Nuts in small portions
away from home, get hungry and
• Whole-grain crackers
realize that we have forgotten to
• Bottled water
pack a healthy snack. The only
• Diet drinks
options may be to visit a
Make sure to look for packages that provide a
vending machine or stop by a
single serving. Often, what seems to be a small
convenience store.
package may provide more than one serving.
The following are some options
Read the food label to check how many servings are
for a smart snack at these venues.
in the package. If there is more than one serving in
• Baked chips
a package, share it with a friend or a co-worker.
• Low-fat
Convenience stores usually offer more choices.
microwave
Look for low-fat yogurt cups, string cheese, flavored
popcorn
skim milk (with no added sugar) and fresh fruit
• Fig bars
(usually near the check-out counter).
REFERENCES
1. Nielsen SJ, Siega-Riz AM, Popkin BM. Trends in energy intake in U.S. between 1977 and 1996: similar shifts seen across age groups.
Obes Res 2002;10:370-378.
2. Nielsen SJ, Popkin BM. Patterns and trends in food portion sizes, 1977-1998. JAMA 2003;289:450-453.
3. Graaf CD. Effects of snacks on energy intake: an evolutionary perspective. Appetite 2006;47:18-23.
4. Ness AR, Fowles JW. Fruit and vegetables and cardiovascular disease: a review. Int J Epidemiology 1997;26:1-13.
5. Block G, Patterson B, Subar A. Fruit, vegetables and cancer prevention: a review of the epidemiological evidence. Nutr Cancer
1992;18:1-29.
6. Rolls BJ, Roe LS, Kral TV, Meengs JS, Wall DE. Increasing the portion size of a packaged snack increases energy intake in men and
women. Appetite 2004 Feb;42(1):63-69.
7. DiMeglio DP, Mattes RD. Liquid versus solid carbohydrate: effects on food intake and body weight. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000
June;24(6):794-800.
8. Vartanian LR, Schwartz MB, Brownell KD. Effects of soft drink consumption on nutrition and health: A systematic review and meta-
analysis. Am J Pub Hlth 2007 April;97(4):667-675.
Suggested citation: Aggarwal S, Beth D, Dunn C, Staveren MV, Thomas C, Vodicka ST.
Eat Smart North Carolina: Snacks and Drinks. DHHS, NC Division of Public Health, Raleigh, NC; 2007.
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Consensus Panel Members
Joanne Lee, MPH, RD, LDN
Billy Whitacre
Project Officer, Active Living By Design
President, NC Vending Association
Surabhi Aggarwal, MPH, RD, LDN*
UNC School of Public Health
Worksite Wellness Specialist,
Elizabeth Zimmerman, MPH, RD
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch,
Terri Zimmerman March, BSH, MPH
Worksite Wellness Manager,
NC Division of Public Health
Physical Activity and Nutrition
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch,
Coordinator, Buncombe County Health
NC Division of Public Health
Alice Ammerman, DrPH, RD
Center
Professor, Director, Center for Health
Reviewers
Promotion and Disease Prevention,
Pamela Outen
UNC-Chapel Hill
Family and Consumer Science Agent,
Corrine Giannini, RD, LDN
NC Cooperative Extension,
Nutrition Program Consultant,
Kathy Andersen, MS, RD
Cabarrus County, NC State University
Women’s Health Branch,
NET Program Coordinator,
NC Division of Public Health
Nutrition Services Branch,
Carolyn Rudd, MEd
NC Division of Public Health
Extension Associate, 4-H EFNEP
Sarah Kuester, MS, RD
Coordinator, NC Cooperative Extension,
Public Health Nutritionist, Division of
Diane Beth, MS, RD, LDN*
NC State University
Nutrition and Physical Activity, CDC
Nutrition Manager,
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch,
Kristen L.M. Shaben, MS, RD, LDN
Meg Molloy, DrPH, MPH, RD
NC Division of Public Health
Program Coordinator, Fit City for Fit
Executive Director, NC Prevention Partners
Families, Mecklenburg County Health
Laura Simpson Buxenbaum, MPH, RD,
Beth Carlton Tohill, PhD, MSPH
Department
LDN
Nutritional Epidemiologist, Division of
Program Account Manager, Southeast
Karen Klein Stanley, RD, LDN
Nutrition and Physical Activity, CDC
United Dairy Industry Association
Community Development Specialist,
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch,
Consensus Panel
Dorothy Caldwell, MS, RD
NC Division of Public Health
Facilitator/Recorders
Child Nutrition and School Health
Consultant
Carol Strickland
Patrick O’Neil, PhD
Health Promotion Coordinator,
Partner, Advisory Services,
Carolyn Dunn, PhD*
Bladen County Health Department
Mitre Agency/TORC Sports
Professor and Nutrition Specialist,
NC Cooperative Extension,
Debbie Stroud, MEd
Jenni Albright, MPH, RD
NC State University
Family and Consumer Science Agent,
Special Projects Specialist,
NC Cooperative Extension,
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch,
Bess Hester-Whitt, MEd
Johnston County, NC State University
NC Division of Public Health
Family and Consumer Science Agent,
NC Cooperative Extension, Person County,
Cathy Thomas, MAEd*
Cameron Graham, MPH
NC State University
Branch Head, Physical Activity
Project Specialist,
and Nutrition Branch,
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch,
Kathryn Kolasa, PhD, RD, LDN
NC Division of Public Health
NC Division of Public Health
Professor, University Health Systems
Nutrition Consultant,
Meg van Staveren, MPH, RD*
Annie Hardison, MTS
The Brody School of Medicine at ECU
Nutrition and Physical Activity
Worksite Wellness Specialist,
Coordinator, NC Prevention Partners
Physical Activity and Nutrition Branch,
Carolyn Lackey, PhD, RD
NC Division of Public Health
Professor and Nutrition Specialist,
Sheree Thaxton Vodicka, MA, RD, LDN*
NC Cooperative Extension,
Healthy Weight Communications
NC State University
Manager, Physical Activity and Nutrition
Branch, NC Division of Public Health
*Denotes Writing Team
Please visit www.MyEatSmartMoveMore.com to fill out a quick survey and let us know if this Guide was useful to you!
Division of Public Health
Department of 4H Youth Development
and Family & Consumer Sciences
NC Department of Health
and Human Services
NC State University
www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com
4750 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $0.70 per copy. October 2007.

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